Flashing stop sign



Jan. 5, 1960 H. E. FULTZ FLASHING STOP SIGN Filed May 20, 1958 OPERATINGLEVER SIGNAL I SWITCH IN VENTOR. HARRY E. FUL rz ATTORNEYS FLASHING STOPSIGN Harry E. mtg-Fm Wayne, Ind.

Application May 20, 1958, Serial No.f7s6,523 1 Claim. (Cl; 340128 Thisinvention relates to astops'ignor signal, and more particularly to astop signfor'usewith school buses.

The object of the invention is to provide a stop sign which isconstructed so that persons outside of aschool bus or other vehicle onwhich the stop sign is mounted, will be readily warned or advised thatthe school bus is stopping or stopped, so that children can enter orleave the bus'with increased safety.

Another object of the invention is to provide a school bus stop signwhich includes a member that is adapted to be movedto anoutward positionwhen the bus stops, and wherein the member carries a light bulb that isadapted to be actuated in a flashing or intermittent fashion" so thatthe word Stop on thesign-will be illumi-- nated in a highly efiicientandnoticeable mannerso that children will be able to embark or disembarkfrom the school bus with greater safety and wherein persons drivingother vehicles will be more likely to notice the flashing stop sign ofthe present invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flashing stop sign forschool buses which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame.

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the stop sign of the presentinvention in closed position adjacent to the bus body.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the stop sign inextended of operative position.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the stop sign, and with parts brokenaway and in section.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a view illustrating schematically the wiring diagram for thepresent invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates theflashing stopsign of the present invention, and the numeral 11 indicatesa portion of a supporting structure such as a bus body. The flashingstop sign 10 of the present invention includes a body member 12 whichhas an end thereof hingedly connected to the bus body 11 as for exampleby means of a conventional hinge assembly 13.

As shown in the drawings, the body member 12 is shaped to include anintermediate main portion 14 of flat formation, and the portion 14 isprovided with indicia such as the word Stop thereon, and this word Stopmay be arranged on both sides of the portion 14. The indicia 15 may beprinted or otherwise arranged on the portion 14.

As shown in Figure 4 for example, the body member 12 is shaped toinclude a pair of spaced parallel channels 16 and 17 which are arrangedon opposite sides of the main'fiat-portion 14. The numeral-18 indicatesa tube'j" or sleeve which is seated in the, channel 17,-and the tube 18may be secured in the channel 17 in any suitable manner, as forexampleby welding.

The body member 12 is further provided with a pair 'These shoulders 19are arranged in converging relation with respectto of angularly arrangedshoulders 19.

each other.

There'is further provide'da sleeve which is indicated generally by thenumeral 20, and the sleeve 20 is arranged adjacent' the free end ofthe'body member 12. The sleeve 20 includes a cylindrical wall member 21which extends through the portion 14 of the body member 12, and thewallmein'ber 21 isprovided with slot 22 whereby light rays from a bulb"23 can pass through i the slot 22 in order to illuminate the indicia"15. The

bulb 23 is' connected to a socket 24 which is mounted in the sleeve 20,and a wire 25 is electrically connected. to the socket 24 andextends-through the tube 18, the

wire 25 adapted to supply electrical energy from a suit able source ofsupply such as the vehicle battery 26,

member21'andwhich is secured thereto or formed intej gral therewith, andthe flange 27 is secured to the adjacent portion of the "body member asfor example 'by means of securing elements 28.

Arranged on opposite sides of the bulb 23 are lenses 29 which may becolored red so as to provide a further means of providing notice of thesignal, and the numeral 30 indicates a flasher which is electricallyconnected to the bulb 23. The flasher 30 has the effect of causing thebulb 23 to intermittently flash on and off which will further enhancethe effectiveness of the signal. The numeral 31 indicates a pilot lightwhich is adapted to be arranged on the dashboard or instrument panel ofthe vehicle such as the bus so that the operator of the vehicle will beable to observe on the pilot light 31 the flashing effect of the bulb23.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided aflashing stop sign which is especially suitable and efiective for usewith school buses, although it is to be understood that the principle ofthe present invention is applicable to other types of signs or signals.According to the present invention the sign 10 includes a body member 12which is hingedly connected to the bus body 11 by means of aconventional hinge assembly 13. The body member 12 may be stamped out ofa suit able piece of sheet metal and carries the sleeve 20. The sleeve20 is provided with the wall member 21 which has the slot 22 so thatlight rays from the bulb 23 can shine out through the slot 22 andilluminate the indicia or letters 15. Normally the body member 12 is ina position contiguous to the side of the bus body 11. However, when thebus is stopped, the driver of the vehicle can actuate a suitable memberwithin the interior of the bus such as a handle or lever so as to causethe body member 12 to swing outwardly from the position shown in Figure1 to the position shown in Figure 2, and as the body member 12 swingsoutwardly on the hinge 13, it will be seen that the flasher 30 and bulb-23 and pilot light Patented Jan. 5, 1960 35 more noticeable to driversof other vehicles so that children can more safely enter or leave thebus since there will be less likelihood of such children being hit bydrivers of other vehicles which may be in the vicinity of the stoppedschool bus.

The body member 12 includes the angularly arranged shoulders 19 that areadapted to contact the outer surface of the body 11 when the body member12 is in closed position. Furthermore, the channels 16 and 17 helpreinforce the body member and the channel 17 has the tube 18 secured asby welding therein, whereby the wire 25 from the bulb 23 can extendthrough the tube 18. In Figure 6 the numeral 32 indicates a switch whichmay be automatically actuated by the hinge 13 when the body member 12swings open or to an extended position.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapesor sizes.

The tube 18 prevents the wire 25 from getting out of place. The switch32 may be placed in an opening so that it can be contacted by theoperating cam of the hinge assembly 13. The hinge 13 and associatedswitch mechanism may be of any suitable type. The parts can be made ofany suitable material and in different shapes or sizes.

The stop sign of the present invention can be used on any type ofmechanical stop sign mechanism.

In use, when the sign or member 12 is in opened position, the switch 32is released so that the current will go through the flasher 30 andalternately light the lamp 23 and pilot light 31 as for example when thebus is stopped to discharge or pick up pupils. When the memher 12 isreturned to closed position, the lights go out and stay out until thedevice 7 is reopened. The pilot light 31 is adapted to be mounted in aposition so that it is readily visible to the driver of the vehicle. Theflasher 30 can be arranged in any convenient location.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming withinthe field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, ifdesired.

I claim:

In a flashing stop sign, a supporting structure, a body member havingone end hingedly connected to said supporting structure, said bodymember including an intermediate main portion of flat formation, indiciaarranged on said main flat portion, opposed spaced parallel curvedchannels arranged on opposite sides of said main flat portion, a tubesecured in one of said channels, said body member further includingangularly arranged shoulders, a sleeve having a cylindrical wall membermounted in the body member adjacent the free end thereof, there beingslots in said wall member for permitting light rays to be directedtherethrough onto the indicia, a circular flange extending from saidwall member and connected to said body member, colored lenses mounted insaid wall member, a bulb positioned between said lenses, and a Wireelectrically connected to said bulb and extending through said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

